Known as the “Godmother of Fashion,” Fern Mallis’s career spans the fashion gamut. Not only was she the Executive Director of the Council of Fashion Designers of America, and the creator of the iconic New York Fashion Week, she hosts a conversation series at the 92Y in Manhattan entitled “Fashion Icons with Fern Mallis,” where she’s interviewed many fashion greats like Marc Jacobs, Tom Ford, Donna Karan, and Calvin Klein.
The former Senior VP of IMG Fashion has also been featured on shows like “America’s Next Top Model,” and four seasons of “Project Runway,” among many others.
Mallis will receive the Fashion Icon Award at the upcoming Hamptons Fashion Week, on Saturday, August 7, at the Southampton Arts Center. Dee Rivera, the founder of Hamptons Fashion Week sat down with Mallis to have a conversation about the founding of New York Fashion Week, the early days, the fond memories, and what’s next for her.
Fern, when people think of NYFW they think designers, fashion, and Fern Mallis. What inspired you to create NYFW?
I’m glad people think of all of that when NYFW is mentioned. Creating an organized Fashion Week was not anything that I was originally inspired to do, it was a common sense reaction to an unfortunate accident. When I was selected to be Executive Director of the CFDA (March 1991), Fashion Week was not on the agenda or even discussed. The incident that truly sparked this was thanks to Michael Kors. He had a show in an empty loft space in Chelsea. When they turned the bass music on, the ceiling shook, and plaster from the ceiling landed on the shoulders of supermodels: Linda, Naomi, Cindy, Christy, etc. They kept walking as they brushed off their shoulders. But the chunks of plaster that landed in the laps of Suzy Menkes from the International Herald Tribune and Carrie Donovan, the New York Times fashion critic led to the next day’s headlines: “We live for fashion; we don’t want to die for it.” This incident was followed by a blackout at an Isaac Mizrahi show, and elevator breakdowns with major editors inside going to a Donna Karan show, among other accidents. This led Stan Herman, president of CFDA, and I to come up with a safe and sound solution to presenting fashion shows in New York.
Did you think NYFW would grow the way it did? Tell us about the beginning.
I’m thrilled at how the concept of “organized, centralized, and modernized” shows took off. I literally “dialed for dollars” for several weeks until we secured sponsorships from Vogue, Bazaar, Elle, T&C, NYT, General Motors, and others. This was the first time fashion shows had corporate sponsors. At the beginning it was called 7thonSixth, and we had three venues in Bryant Park . . . two tents on east and west sides of the lawn. Gertrude (named after a statue of Gertrude Stein which was always in the backstage area) and Josephine, the tent on the Sixth Avenue side of lawn (part of the Josephine Shaw Lowell Fountain was inside), and Celeste was the venue in the Celeste Bartos Forum of the NY Public Library.
The first Fashion Week was launched in the fall of 1993, and we presented approximately 60 shows including Calvin Klein, Donna Karan, Ralph Lauren, Oscar de la Renta, and Carolina Herrera. Our sponsors had a small sign in the entranceway, and were allowed to hand out their products, such as Evian water, Prescriptive’s lipstick, Clairol, and others. Over the years the venues constantly changed and evolved, and eventually we were allowed to build this fashion city on the lawn of Bryant Park with a majestic entry up the stairs on Sixth Avenue with the seasonal graphic front. And sponsors became more important and visible at the venues.
Are there fond memories that stand out to you from NYFW?
I have so many, but I think Bill Blass’s last show at NYFW was very special. It was occurring on the morning of Hurricane Floyd hitting New York with pounding rain and winds. We had every city agency on board to make sure the tents were safe and secure. But we couldn’t stop the rain from dripping in everywhere. Bill Blass was “the Dean of American Fashion” and had a lustrous career. His models got there early, they were all dressed and in hair and make-up and Bill was smoking his cigarette and pacing backstage waiting for the guests to arrive which was difficult with the weather. The press, retailers, his socialite customers, and friends were arriving late with umbrellas blowing away, and everyone was soaking wet but no one wanted to miss this finale to his career.
He was ready to cancel and said to me “It’s okay, I’ve done the collection and I’m proud of it . . . but this is dangerous, let’s stop now.”
I told him we weren’t letting him end his career without seeing this show. It eventually started maybe an hour late and it was magical. Red, white, and blue lights hit the proscenium, and the music was all Gershwin, Lerner and Lowe, and memorable American tunes. At the end of the show when he came out to a standing ovation from 1200 attendees there wasn’t a dry eye in the house — and it wasn’t from the rain. The rest of the shows that day were cancelled and we had to re-schedule them later in the week.
What do you think it will be like for fashion designers as we are riding out the wave of Covid?
The good news is that we are all still wearing clothes. We don’t have to go to the theatre, or museums. But we all get dressed every day. Covid has severely impacted many fashion businesses and forced many to close. Others who were able to “pivot” (the word of the year) survived. Many flourished as they quickly learned how to develop their DTC (direct to consumer) technology as people were not going to stores. Clearly the casual, athleisure wear was huge. But now there is a big pent up desire to dress up and go out and attend parties and benefits and lots of people were able to save money over the last year and half and are anxious to spend it. Covid forced every business to reevaluate and prioritize what was most important. The luxury business is breaking their all-time records. But it’s still a delicate balance and the fall and holiday season will be crucial for the fashion and retail industry. Let’s hope the new Delta variant doesn’t set us back to a year ago, and that the upcoming NYFW will still go forward with its very exciting roster of designers.
What is next for Fern Mallis?
I’m happy to share that during Covid, we created a dedicated 92Y YouTube playlist of my Fashion Icon interviews. Hit the link in my Instagram bio and it takes you right there. This keeps changing as we add new ones from the archives. I’m also excited to announce a second edition of my book “FASHION LIVES: Fashion Icons with Fern Mallis.” The first book launched in 2015 features 19 inspiring, no-holds-barred interviews with American fashion icons including Tom Ford, Marc Jacobs, Calvin Klein, Donna Karan, Michael Kors, Tommy Hilfiger, Betsey Johnson, Polly Mellen, Bruce Weber, and Oscar de la Renta, and more. The new book will be out in spring of 2022 and will launch with Nordstrom. It includes my 92Y interviews with Valentino, Leonard Lauder, Victoria Beckham, Rosita and Angela Missoni, Zandra Rhodes, Bob Mackie, Christian Siriano, Tim Gunn, Billy Porter, Stan Herman, Bethann Hardison, Arthur Elgort, Iris Apfel and me, along with never before seen photos.
You are receiving the Fashion Icon Award at Hamptons Fashion Week. Did you ever think that the Hamptons would be a go-to for fashion?
The Hamptons have always had a very fashionable reputation. Our communities here are filled with successful people from New York and beyond who all appreciate and wear great clothes. Many of our designers have second homes here, and the roster of designer stores and brands that have opened here prove that this is a fashion town(s).
I’m always excited when a city or community creates a Fashion Week to bring attention to designers. During my career at IMG I’ve been involved with Fashion Weeks in LA, Miami, Mumbai, Berlin, Sydney, Melbourne, Toronto, and more.
I’ve also been a champion and advisor for many years to Nashville Fashion Week, Charleston Fashion Week, Philly Fashion Week, St. Louis Fashion Week, and Indianapolis Fashion Week, among others.
And now, voila . . . there’s a Hamptons Fashion Week. I’m looking forward to coming to the event and seeing all the newcomers featured at the show and I’m very honored to receive the Fashion Icon award!
What advice would you give future fashion icons out there who are trying to make their mark?
The first advice I always give is “Be nice.” No one needs or wants to work with divas. It’s a tough business but when you make it the rewards are significant. Passion, drive, and talent are essential. It also helps to have a business partner, someone who has your back so you can be creative. Financing is also key, and start with a good lawyer before you make mistakes that will be costly. It takes many years and acknowledged success to become a “Fashion icon”. . . don’t start out with that goal in mind.
Work hard, stay focused, and find your special niche.
What makes you tick?
Being here at my home in the Hamptons on a beautiful lake keeps me ticking. My affectionate cat named Dimples keeps me smiling and I have a great group of friends here and we all look out for one another. My four adorable grand nephews and niece — Theo, and Milo, and Rex, and Lila provide me with much needed ticking.
For more information on Fern Mallis, visit fernmallis.com. For tickets to Hamptons Fashion Week, click here.
